- I use smell in the handling collections I do on Jacobean life, and have to say I've never found it particularly disruptive in terms of the flow. I pass around various items - spices, tallow and beeswax candles, soap balls, cocoa beans and so on - and actually there seems to be a real sense of excitement in people waiting to get a sniff, especially when they see the reaction on some people's faces to the smell! I've done this with various groups from nursery children to adults on supported learning courses, and they all seem to enjoy it.

On 3 August 2012 10:08, Katherine Ashton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi everyone,

I’m wanting to use a multi-sensory approach to interpret a couple of paintings in our collection – using touch, smell, sounds etc, to use with special needs groups.

Has anyone got any experience of using themed aromas – such as the aroma cubes produced by companies like Dale Air? I’m a bit concerned that the flow of the workshop will be lost when having to pass the cubes round for everyone to smell, but as I want to do the workshop in the public gallery in front of the painting, I don’t want to have to be spraying different aerosols around!

Also, I have used some of Dale Air’s cubes before, and I don’t know whether it’s just my insensitive nose, but I was a bit disappointed – they all smelt the same to me! Can anyone suggest any other products that they have found to be good?

Cheers
Katherine Ashton

Education and Outreach Officer

Penlee House Gallery and Museum

Penzance

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